No apology necessary? How narratives impact redress for colonialism in Namibia and India.

This article examines why most victim states, particularly former extractive colonies, do not officially seek interstate redress—such as apologies, reparations, or restitution—from their former colonizer states. It argues that the coherence of historical narratives within victim states significantly influences their ability to mobilize political consensus for redress; when meta-narratives and subnarratives about colonial injustices are non-conforming, efforts to frame grievances and build broad support falter. Through comparative case studies of Namibia, which has pursued redress from Germany for colonial-era genocide, and India, which has not sought redress from the United Kingdom despite its colonial history, the article shows that Namibia's converging narratives facilitated mobilization, whereas India's fragmented narratives hindered it. The study highlights the need to center victim states as active agents in discussions of interstate redress and suggests that domestic narrative dynamics are crucial to understanding why many former colonies remain silent on colonial injustices.